Marketing Behavior Analysis Requires (Really) Different Talk: A Critique of Kohn (2005) and a(Nother) call to Arms

Abstract

Behavior analysis has a lengthy history of misrepresentation by both academic and popular-press authors, and several suggestions have been offered regarding how best to market behavior analysis. Although behavior analysts have made some advances in such marketing, significant obstacles remain. One obstacle is Kohn's (2005) book, Unconditional Parenting, which argues against adopting a behavioral approach to parenting. A related obstacle is that there have not been any behavior-analytic replies to Kohn, nor have there been any objections to Kohn by non-behavioral authors. These latter points are disappointing given the nature of Kohn's inaccurate statements (e.g., that the behavioral approach entails that parental love is made contingent on appropriate child behavior). This paper provides a critique of Kohn by noting his misrepresentations of behavior analysis and discussing their potential sources. This paper also discusses the marketing of behavior analysis in the context of Kohn. Despite his attacks against behavior analysis, we describe how Kohn's general views on parenting actually could be strengthened by considering an accurate description of behavior-analytic principles and philosophy. By providing such a description, we hope to improve future characterizations of behavior analysis by non-behavioral authors. That is, in addition to discussing other marketing techniques, we emphasize the need for behavior analysts to engage the interests and passions of popular-press authors, but with considerable attention given to our language.

Behavior analysts can be interdisciplinary too: A review of Durand's Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…As shown by the success of his books, Durand's integrated approach, in which ABA is seen as one of many productive scientific disciplines, may be more palatable to general readers than aggressively promoting ABA. We often propose "calls to arms" to defend ABA and marketing campaigns to increase its popularity (Doughty et al, 2012). Such tactics may be necessary to overcome misperceptions about ABA.…”

“…His book is a novelty in our profession because it depicts ABA as just one discipline among many that have made valuable discoveries about ASD, rather than focusing exclusively on ABA or using ABA as a framework for interpreting findings from other disciplines. Ironically, this modest stance might do more to overcome the perennial misunderstandings about ABA than the confrontational, provocative, or single-minded style that we have historically favored (Doughty, Holloway, Shields, & Kennedy, 2012).…”

Rethinking Dissemination: Storytelling as a Part of the Repertoire

“…In their seminal paper on applied behavior analysis, Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) offered the following observation about dissemination: "…It is a fair presumption that behavioral applications, when effective, can sometimes lead to social approval and adoption" (1968, p. 91). Yet, the general conclusion among contemporary behavior analysts is that the social approval and adoption rate has been disappointingly slow and the dream of "better living through behaviorism" has not been realized at scales of social importance (Bailey, 1991;Doughty, Holloway, Shields, & Kennedy, 2012;Foxx, 1996;Skinner, 1981). We built a better mousetrap but the world did not beat a path to our door.…”

Normative Emotional Responses to Behavior Analysis Jargon or How Not to Use Words to Win Friends and Influence People

“…If published commentaries are of any guide, applied behavior analysts tend to agonize over how they are perceived by laypersons and other non-experts (e.g., Bailey, 1991;Doughty et al, 2012;Freedman, 2015;Foxx, 1996;Lindsley, 1991;Smith, 2015)-and possibly for good reason. Maurice (1993), for instance, wrote that in her experience, a behavior analyst often is seen as BAttila the Hun^1 rather than the Bangel of love and acceptance^(p. 283) that laypersons expect of service professionals.…”

“…Consumers tend to seek out and follow the suggestions of therapists with whom they feel socially comfortable (Backer et al, 1986;Barrett-Lennard, 1962;Rosenzweig, 1936). Unfavorable public perception thus creates a challenge of marketing and implementation (Bailey, 1991;Doughty et al, 2012;Lindsley, 1991). 2 Second, frequently implicated in behavior analysts' reflections on their own poor public relations is a peculiar way of speaking that non-behavior analysts are thought to regard as Babrasive^ (Lindsley, 1991, p. 449), Bharsh^ (Maurice, 1993, p. 102), and generally unpleasant (Bailey, 1991).…”